I can seriously say that I have not been able to play any of the past Serious Sam games. However I found Serious Sam 3: BFE to bring me back to old-style gaming like Doom, Duke Nukem, and everything else in-between. It’s like they brought back the simplistic shooter with better graphics and some funny one-liners.

So if you’re wondering what “BFE” means, it’s Before First Encounter, meaning this is a prequel to the original game Serious Sam: First Encounter. With getting started it explains that the planet had run out of the fossil fuels. Somehow while digging out under the Egyptian Pyramids they had found an ancient energy source that was able to bring humanity back to where it was going. After the activation of this equipment it sends out a beacon that calls the alien enemy to earth, causing the earth to end up near-extinction and the aliens taking over most of the world. The humans believe if they can activate this time machine, they can send in Serious Sam to take care of the aliens.

Serious Sam 3 is fun, but it’s also a bit janky. What I mean to say there are some choppy parts in the game where you try to go to the next part, but it won’t load. I’ve had a bit of issues with the moving on from checkpoint to checkpoint. After spending a lot of time trying to kill the monster that took over my helicopter, I found myself walking around for a bit until I finally hit the checkpoint that started the cinema for the next part. I’m not sure if that was the intention of the people who designed the game, because this game is like a retro update of Duke Nukem 3D (except much better graphics).

I really feel that this game was designed more on the aspect of playing on the computer instead of a console. I think that it’s much easier on the keyboard and mouse setup to play this game, as I found it to be a pain in the ass to figure out the control scheme to switch between weapons. They do have a memory switch on them, so when you go between two weapons you just press Y and it will get you back to the other weapon. To pick the one you want you have to go through the D-pad, which makes it hard because the weaponry is like wrapped around that scheme, where it’s not just up and down but on the diagonal part of the D-Pad. It does make it hard to try and grab the guns when these waves of aliens are coming at you, especially when the suicide bombers come after you. (I can’t help but laugh when they come running at you. This is all you hear!)

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Serious Sam 3: BFE isn’t a letdown, but it has been hard to gauge how to give the whole perspective of the game. It uses a lot of the same aliens with the same skins, and they seem to be on a direct path towards you. The other thing is with the aiming, where you basically have to point in the area of the aliens and hold the trigger down. It’s really not too challenging when your using guns. Next to that you have to take into aspect the use of closed quarters weapons like the sledgehammer, which gives the game a good challenge. Melee is a good option, too, for closed quarters.

With that all said, I think what would be best is what suits you. If you go to the arcade on Xbox Live I say download it and give it a try, and if you feel it’s worth it then put the money down for the whole game. With me I would have to take a look at the bank account and say, is this game worth it? In most places the game is worth it, but I have to leave this one up to you, readers.

At this time of the year, we always take a few minutes to reach deep inside and talk about what we’re thankful for. While, my family and friends certainly feature prominently on my list this year, I’d like to take a second here and talk about a few of the video games I’m thankful for […]

November 21, 2012Comments Off on New DLC Makes "Sniper Elite" Redux Worth Revisiting

Recently the guys over at Rebellion and 505 Games released new DLC for the very well-made game Sniper Elite V2, and for once they delivered with what I’ve been asking for!

So if you have not been able to play this game you may want to download the demo, as it will blow your mind literally and figuratively. With the new DLC, they have split the multiplayer in two. There is now the co-op section that was originally placed in the game that was awesome to play during the first month of its lifespan. However there’s only so much fun you can have just sitting there and blasting away Nazi bots with someone else in the multiplayer realm. With that said they finally made an Adversarial add-on.

Adversarial has added the aspect of playing against other people online with new maps, which will really test those sniper skills you obtained from playing the in-game content. Surprisingly they have a good amount added in, such as Team Deathmatch (cross and no cross versions), Deathmatch, Team Distance King (cross and no cross), and Distance King. Deathmatch is pretty much self-explanatory, but for the one that has no cross. This one has taken the aspect of the map and split it in two. The two teams start on their opposite sides, and they only have their rifles at the ready to find the enemy and take them out. They can not pass go on the barrier, let alone collect the 200 dollars. I find this makes it fun because then you don’t have to worry about people sneaking up on you and getting killed a bunch of times.

Now your probably wondering what the Distance King is? This is the setup of where the team or individual with the longest total distance shot win! The other thing they have added to this is the amount of distance that is taken in each kill shot. Believe me: it’s pretty challenging when you place as a Marksman or Sharpshooter in the game. You do need to pay a lot of attention to the distance, as well as the windage of the shot. I’ve gotten good shots off, but then when you’re at the longest distance possible it’s like one of the hardest things I’ve ever dealt with. You’ve got to imagine trying to shoot a bullet that doesn’t have any extra powder in it, and then gauge how much drop there will be. I found myself in sniper battles with people where you can see the trail of the bullet coming from the other opponent, and it’s awesome to see how much the bullet has curved.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

I have to bow down to the awesomeness of this game. It’s what I have been looking for since the original game came out on the original Xbox, and did I mention it’s free?! Another thing I must mention for a lovely 400 XBL points ($5.00 on PSN) you can buy the new gun add-on which gives you the M1 Carbine rifle, the MP44 SMG, and the Webley Mk6 Revolver. I found these new add-ons to be amazing!

But to be a bit straight forward to you, the only problems that I have found with the game is that people have found glitches. (Go figure, right?) More or less the people who do it should be beaten with in an inch of your life. They find ways to get into walls where they can shoot out, but no one can shoot in. A beautiful thing that they built into the game is the vote kick, ergo kicking the cheater out. Also with the new guns I found that the Webley MK6 seems to be a bit over powered. I was on one of the maps, and it seemed that there was one guy that kept running up behind us, even after laying land/trip mines down. He could come up and just quickly do one shot to take them out. I know some revolvers are a bit strong, but I’m not sure if that pistol is that strong.

Besides that little negative aspect (which is almost in every game, where someone is trying to ruin everyone else’s fun) The new add-on for Sniper Elite V2 is exactly what I’ve been looking for. So plop down in your favorite chair, pull out the binoculars, and prepare to play the best hide-and-seek sniper game ever! I’m serious, this is the challenge of patience timing and skill that is needed in a game such as this. Again most of our latest generation has a patience and attention span of a walnut, so if you have the capabilities of patience and everything else it is to be an Elite Sniper this game is for you!

Farcry 3 will be hitting store shelves on December 3 and we’ve been getting a lot of info on the single-player. Finally we get a glimpse at the multiplayer mode! Head over to our EGMNow site for the multiplayer trailer!

November 20, 2012Comments Off on Episode CLXI: Oh No, He’s Going To Tell Another Story!

O Bastard, My Bastard, our fearful show is here!

In this week’s episode Blueonic gripes about the bad side of celebrating Thanksgiving, while King Baby Duck thinks of ways of making the feast even better with the help of a deep-fryer. Spielberg’s latest film Lincoln is reviewed, as the duo thinks back at how much the political party system has changed since the passing of the 13th Amendment. The demo of Need For Speed: Most Wanted is looked at, with both guys perplexed by how much of a step back the game looks compared to Hot Pursuit. Blueonic praises the new DLC content of Sniper Elite V2, and the Bastards say farewell to Twinkies.

November 16, 2012Comments Off on Deep Silver Gets Chamillionaire For "Riptide" Rap

In preparation for Dead Island Riptide, the sequel to the popular 2010 zombie action-RPG game the folks at Deep Silver have enlisted the help of award-winning rapper Chamillionaire for a treat for all to feed into their ear cavities.

“No Room In Hell” is a collaboration between Chamillionaire and Sam B., the “Who Do You Voodoo” rapper you play as in the original Dead Island game. Directed by Don Tyler “No Room In Hell” takes the tropic worlds of Banoi and brings them to life, pre-brain-eater period, of course.

Dead Island Riptide is due for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC on April 23, 2013.

November 15, 2012Comments Off on Microsoft Finds Some Success With "Happy Wars" F2P

After Sony found some success in the free-to-play model (EVE Online: Dust 514, the plethora of games in PlayStation Home) it would seem like a no-brainer that Microsoft would dip their feet into this popular form of gaming. Teaming up with Toylogic (who helped out on Super Smash Bros. Brawl) the big M’s first foray into F2P-modeled gaming has come to fruition in Happy Wars.

The basis of Happy Wars is fairly simply: a tower-defense war between two parties of fifteen online gamers takes place on a field. The first one to infiltrate the enemies’ castle and smash apart their totem-poled Big Tower wins the battle. Of course it’s not that easy; you simply cannot just mosey into the castle and take the win.

November 13, 2012Comments Off on Episode CLX: Think Of Your Sins, Mr. Bond!

The Bastards love it shaken, not stirred.

This week the B3 are excited about the news that happened on the day of Tuesday, November 6, leaving both King and Blueonic jumping for joy about the future of one of their favorite things. The demos for Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two and F1 Race Stars are looked at, and King describes why the new Karateka remake is nothing but bad news. Finally James Bond comes full circle in the review for Skyfall.

November 8, 2012Comments Off on Take A Nostalgic Trip Down To "Retro City"

The road to Retro City Rampage‘s release has been a long and strenuous one. Originally supposed to be a de-make of the Grand Theft Auto series called “Grand Theftendo” Brian Provinciano’s brainchild started taking another form after he wanted to make it more original, not just a parody of Rockstar’s beloved series. Instead he took elements from games, cartoons, and movies he loved as a child and inserted them into the main storyline. What was just a mere send-up of a modern-day classic was now a super-parody, filled with jokes found in every crevice of the game. Retro City Rampage is also one of the best love letters to gamers since Polytron’s Fez.

In Retro City Rampage players take control of Player, a guy who’s the opposite of a goodie little two-shoes that helps the evil Jester pull off a massive bank heist. After the Jester accidentally blows up the bus with the loot, Player finds himself being chased by every hero and police officer in town. Soon he steals a time machine, kills Michael J. Fox, and meets Doc, who is tricked by Player into fixing the time machine for his own personal gain.

November 6, 2012Comments Off on Episode CLIX: You’re Business…This Is Pleasure!

It was a double-feature weekend for the Bastards…

This week the B3 crew review the new RZA-helmed The Man With The Iron Fists, which pays homage to classic kung-fu films of yesteryear. The video game-influenced Wreck-It Ralph is also on the table, a movie that just may be the best of its kind. Blueonic goes hands-on with the Wii U (yes, WII U) demo for Rayman Legends, and gives his thoughts on the new controller setup. Finally the demos for pid, F1 2012, and Home Run Stars are looked at.